Investment to enhance Palmerston North’s reputation as a destination important: Grant Smith

The Puanga Twilight Festival on June 28 transformed the pit lane at Central Energy Trust Arena. Photo / Palmerston North City Council

Grant Smith is the mayor of Palmerston North.

OPINION

There was a terrific turnout at the community Matariki celebration of Puanga last Friday. In perfect conditions, more than 10,000 people descended on Central Energy Trust Arena’s pit lane for entertainment, music, food trucks, stalls, lights and a wonderful atmosphere.

This underlined the appeal of the festivities and the versatility of the Cuba St space. Revamped as part of the 2021 Arena upgrade principally for speedway events, the pit lane is easily adapted for other community activities.

Palmerston North benefits immensely from its public facilities and event centres, and city residents make great use of the Arena. Co-ordinated by council’s specialist venues and events teams, the complex hosts about 3000 events for some 30 sporting codes every year. More than 90% of these fixtures are local, but several are regional or national, attracting spectators and supporters from outside Manawatū.

Among these are Super Rugby Pacific and National Provincial Championship rugby games, ANZ Championship netball, National Basketball League, speedway and the Superstock Teams Champs. This month there’s the national Junior Team Badminton Championships, with Davis Cup tennis between New Zealand and Luxembourg in September.

We also annually host national secondary school tournaments in basketball and volleyball with table tennis, netball and badminton on rotation.

Then there are the national and regional conferences, conventions and expos that take place in the city. Among events so far this year have been National and Labour Party conferences, 60s Up and Women’s Institute, E Tipu: The Boma Agri Summit, and the national Rural Sports Awards — tied to the New Zealand Rural Games. The popular Manawatū Home & Lifestyle Show will be held this month.

Alongside council-controlled sports, events and conference facilities are the Regent on Broadway, Globe Theatre, a first-class cricket ground at Fitzherbert Park, international softball diamond at Colquhoun Park, and the Esplanade hockey turfs. Council amenities are complemented by venues such as the Awapuni Function Centre and the Sport and Rugby Institute at Massey, which is soon to get an all-weather football pitch. These well-run and equipped venues, their experienced staff, our central location, the affordable cost and quality of city accommodation, access and ease of getting around are all part of our appeal.

And the 500,000 people who visited us in the past year really do count. For a city with none of the traditional scenic attractions or flashy high-profile tourist draws, Palmerston North is ranked 10th out of 78 councils for domestic visitor spend, and 20th for international visitor spend. According to electronic card retail data for the year ended March 2024, these visitors accounted for almost a quarter of total spending, contributing $428 million to our economy — $77.5m of that in the March 2024 quarter.

For a retail and hospo sector under siege as the cost of living and high mortgage rates drive down consumer spending, this income is vital, with our amenities helping to bolster the city’s overall economic resilience. We hope to bring further high-profile events to the city. That’s why it’s important to invest in areas that enhance our reputation as a destination for corporate, sporting and events travel. It’s a competitive area and Palmerston North bats well above its weight.

Now that the marathon long-term plan session is over, the council chamber is officially in recess for the rest of July. Thank you to everyone who contributed to the LTP through their submissions, feedback, and genuine engagement. Local democracy is not limited to elections once every three years — as your representatives, councillors welcome your involvement through all stages of our decision-making processes.